Thank you all for signing up for the Cake Decorating Project! The Cake Revue will be held at the Rice Lake Senior Center starting at 11:00 am on Sunday, July 12th (Registration Begins at 11:00-11:30. Please read this letter carefully for all details pertaining to the revue schedule, what to expect at the revue, how to display your cake at the fair, and other helpful hints!
Cake Revue Schedule: Sunday July 12th, 2026
11:30 AM Start Time
Location: Rice Lake Senior Center is located at 12 West Humbird Street in Rice Lake.
Registration Begins at 11:00-11:30 am – All Ages
Judging Begins at 11:30 am Working from youngest to oldest age divisions (there are 2 judges this year)
Division H: Beginner Explorers (K – 2)
Division I: Grades 3 & 4
Division J: Grades 5 & 6
Division K: Grades 7 & 8
Division L: Grades 9 & 10
Division M: Grades 11, 12 & 13
IMPORTANT: Registration and Confirmation of Cake Entries
Fair Registration (by June 20):
- Enter the cakes you plan to bring at https://barron.fairwire.com/
- Entries can be found here (J-25 Foods): https://www.barroncountyfair.com/exhibitors
Cake Confirmation (By July 6)
- Watch for an email around July 1 – Respond to confirm the cake entries you are actually bringing (this is what goes in the program). This will make sure the right information is in the program.
It might sound confusing but there are 3 parts to the Cake Revue, you already registered for the 4-H Cake Project in the Fall, you will register your entries with the fair by June 20, and you will confirm your entries by July 6. If you missed any parts and want to participate-contact Sara Waldron, sara.waldron@wisc.edu or 715-788-6219
Remember, all of the project work is to be done by the youth, only guided by a parent/adult. This may take MUCH longer than you think!
What to Bring (day of)
- Fair entry tag (if you don’t have it that’s ok)
- Cake Entries
- Can’t Attend? You must have someone else bring your cake for judging (and transport to fair grounds) Supply a written explanation about your cake or item. No deduction in placing will take place. Also, bring a vertical 4 x 6 photo of the youth with each of their project items to the revue so they will be included in the fair certificates and display.
Cake Revue and Entry Information
Judging/Display
- All judging for the cake decorating project will take place at the cake revue, not at the fair.
- All items are to be displayed at the Barron County Fair; they are to be delivered there after you have completed all your judging at the cake revue.
3rd Grade and Older: How Many Cakes Can I bring?
- Maximum of three cakes. See Department J-25 in the Fair book for more guidelines.
- Maximum of 6 additional class entries (cupcakes, borders, flowers, poster, etc.)
Check the Fair book to see if your class requires a written explanation of tips and techniques, this may be larger than 3” x 5”, if needed. Classes 10-14 require them.
Kindergarten-Second Grade – How Many Cakes Can I bring?
- May enter 1 or more in classes 1-5; and also classes 15 and 16
Cake Revue Process
- Check in at Registration Table
- Set up cake and other items as directed
- Judging will begin no sooner than scheduled time
- Participants can stay for the whole revue, or can leave when their group is judged (it is encouraged to watch others)
- Judges will notify anyone being considered for champion/grand champion
- What happens during judging?
- Be prepared to tell the judge a little bit about your project
- how you got your idea
- problems you had, what you learned
- what tips/techniques you used
- how you baked your cake
- the type of frosting used, etc.
- Be sure to have your photo taken by our photographer with each of your items.
- Ribbons will stay at the cake revue and attached to your photo certificate. You will collect them at the end of the fair.
- After Judging, you will take your cake to the Fair Expo Building (there will be tables outside the cake booth to put the cakes on. Leave your name tag with your cake.
- Be sure to pick up your cake items (certificates and ribbons too) at release time of the fair, discarding cakes and all parts that you don’t want will be done by the member. Superintendents will be there to assist but we will not toss your cake without you unless you don’t show up!
For any questions regarding the Cake Revue & cakes at the fair please contact Cathy Solum at (715) 234-6874 or (715)-651-2759.
Cake Decorating and Storage Tips
- Remember that this cake WILL NOT BE EATEN; only admired and exhibited.
- Bake your cake a few days earlier than normal to let it cool and “dry out” by leaving it uncovered on a wire rack. If you are making a cut-up cake or any other shape, you may want to cut to shape before drying it.
- Try baking your cake longer than normal to take out even more moisture.
- Some cakes will keep well in an air-conditioned area once frosted for a long time with no covering. Remember that the goal is to “dry” the frosting as well.
- Humidity, sunlight, and heat will ruin your cakes. Pick a good storage spot and cool down your car before transporting it.
- Know your frosting types – some will not do well in the heat. Stiff icings that dry will last longer and keep their shape.
- Good frosting consistency can make the world of difference. Don’t let it get warm while you are decorating and keep it freshly whipped to prevent separation of the oils.
- Planning ahead is crucial so all your decorations have time to dry.
- You may choose to freeze your cake to preserve it. If you do so, thaw the cake slowly to prevent condensation, color bleeding, and fading. If you dry out your cake well, this should not be necessary.
Transportation Tips
- Anything that might fall off of the cake should be removed in advance and kept in a safe place. You should be able to quickly replace these items once you have arrived.
- If your cake has multiple layers, you can disassemble the levels of your cake and transport each of them in their own separate cake box.
- The bottom level of the cake should be firmly stuck to a cake board. You can do this using dowels and stakes that jut out of the board and penetrate into the cake. You can also use sticky frostings like buttercream to improve the seal. The cake board should be made of a strong material like high-density cardboard, wood or fiberboard.
- Make sure the cake is placed on a surface that is flat and completely level with the ground. The seat of a car is angled, so this is not an ideal surface. Use the floor of the car or the trunk area.
- A small error in driving, like stopping suddenly or turning sharply, can spell disaster for your entire cake. Drive slowly and carefully to ensure that you and your cake arrive at your destination safely. If you need to drive slower than the rest of traffic, do not hesitate to do so, no matter how annoyed the driver behind you might be.
- It is usually best to carry the cake by hand. Once the cake arrives at its final location, verify the final resting place before carefully remove it from the box or car.
Enjoy decorating your projects!
Congratulations on your talent, skills, and hard work!
See you soon!
Cake Decorating Superintendents,